Water level gauge



May 2,1 1944- lH. A. HOKE ErAL 2,348,007

WATER LEVEL GAUGE Filed Nov. 10, 1942 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 Flea 1 WITNESSES.- INVENToRs:

Hal'Jg.f/0/w @uM/ BY f. @md/@1m ATTORNEYS.

'May 2, 1944- n H. A. HOKE ErAL 2,348,007

WATER LEVEL GAUGE Filed Nov. 1o, 1942 :s sheets-sheet 2 1f igigff Irun@ @In ||n y $212" .I

'MTN/5555s.- Y, I lnvVENToRs:

A TTORNEYS.

May 2,1944. H. A`.HOK E Em, I 2,348,007

WATERMLEVEL GAUGE Filed Nov. 1o.1 1942 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 BY. Clare/Ifeflaf/e A TTORNEYS.

Patented May 2, 1944 WATER LEVEL GAUGE Harry A. Hoke, Altoona, and Clarence J. Barley, Rosemont, Pa., assignors to The Pennsylvania Railroad Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Y I f vaprilie-ation November 1o, 1942, serial No. 465,128

(ci. 'z3-29s) 7 Claims.

This invention relates to Water level gauges for steam-boilers and the like. More specifically it has reference to water level gauges for locomotive b oilers, of the type wherein the sight tube is housed within a protective casing, and wherein such casing is provided with a hinged door or doors having transparent panels through which the water level in the tubes can be observed.

In connection with gauges of the particular kind referred to, We aim to enable replacements of the sight tubes to be made easily and quickly 'Without necessitating disassembling or dismounting of the gauges, and to make it possible to secure the doors with assurance of absolute steam-tightness with a view toward precluding injury to the-engineer or boiler attendant by escaping boiling water and/or steam in the event of breakage of the sight tubes of the gauges.

One way in which the foregoing and other important objects and practical advantages are realized in practice will appear from the following detailed description of the attached drawings; wherein Fig. 1 is a fragmentary viewinV longitudinal section of the rear end of a locomotiveV boiler wherewith is associated a water level Agauge conveniently embodying our invention. v

Fig. 2 -isV a view on va larger scale showing the gauge'in side elevation.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section indicated by the angled arrows III-III in Fig. 2, and showing the gauge in plan with a portion thereof broken away to expose an important structural detail, and with one of the doors of the protective casing inopen position. l y

Fig. 4 is a lvertical axial section through the gauge taken as indicated by the angled arrows IV-IV in Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken as indicated by the angled arrows V-V in Figs. 2 and 4.l i

Figs. 6 and 7 are fragmentary detail views taken as indicated bythe angled arrows VI-VI and VII- VII in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 8 is a broken-out perspective view of the frame of one of the doors of the protective casing.

As Shown in thesev illustrations, our` improved water level gauge has a protective Casing I which is triangular in plan and in which the front and rear side walls 2 and 3 are integrally continuous with the toppand bottom walls 4 and 5. The casing is moreover formed with a rearward offset 6 for the accommodation of an electric bulb 'I from which the light passes through a vertical slit 8 (Figs. 4 and 5) in the rear Wall 3 to illuminate the transparent sight tube 9 axially within the casing from behind. From Figs. 2-4 it will be seen that the bulb 'I is socketed into a shouldered cap IG which closes the top of the offset E and which is securedby bayonet lock means at II. A segmental leaf spring I2 riveted at one end to the oifset 6 at the outside has its other end recessed to engage the stud member I3 of the bayonet lock means II projecting laterally from the cap I0 to hold the latter against accidental displacement. As shown in Fig. 4, the sight tube 9 has its ends engaged within axiallyaligned vertical bores I5 and I6 respectively in the top and bottom walls 4 and 5 of the casing I,

' the bore I6 being shouldered at I'l to provide a seat for the lower endof said tube. `'Ihe bores I5 and I6 are' moreover enlarged at their inner ends as at I8 and I9 respectively for reception of packings 2B and 2| which surround the ends of the sight tube S, said packings being compressed and held-in place by means in the form of gland nuts 22 and 23 which are screwed into the bore enlargements from within the casing I.

At its sides, the casing I has rectangular openings '25 whereof the outer'perimetric faces are machined, and hinged covers or doors whereof the frames 26 are respectively recessed inwardly. as at 2'I for reception of 'transparent panels-28' through which the sight tube 9 can be observed, andvwhereof the inner` marginal faces are machined-to bear snug and steam-tight against the machined perimetric faces of said openings. The 'panels 28 are held in place, with interposition of packing strips 29 around their edges, by rectangular keeper elements 30 secured .by screws 3l.

The hinge construction for each door 26 includes a pair of lugs -32 which are spaced vertically of one edge of the door frame 26 and which are clevised to engage over correspondinglyspaced clevised ears 33 projecting from the casing adjacent the contiguous edge of thedoor opening 25. The lugs 32 and ears 33 have aligning vertical apertures 35 and 36 respectively through which a pintle 3l passes, said pintle being removable from above and having its upper end bent laterally as at 38 in Figs. 2 and 3 for retainment in the assembly. For a reason ,later on explained, the apertures 35 'in the lugs 32 are oi a diameter to clear the pintle 31 by a considerable margin. Each hinge structure further includes a pair of bolts 40 with eyes @I which engage the pintle 31 within the clevises of the ears 33, the shanks of said boltsbeing threaded and passing, With'liberal clearance, through lateral apertures 42 in the lugs 32 at the contiguous edges of the door frame. Respectively associated.

with the bolts 40 are thumb nuts 43 which tighten against the outer faces of the lugs 32 on the door frame 26. At its swinging edge each door 26 is provided with vertically spaced lugs 45 having notches 46 of a width to freely receive the shanks of securing bolts 48 like .the bolts 40 embodied in the hinge means. As shown, the eyes 49 of the bolts 48 engage a vertical pintle 5D within the clevises of split ears I on the front wall 2 of the casing, said pintle passing with a snug fit through aligned apertures 52 in said ears and being headed at opposite ends as at 53 and 54 for permanent retainment. Engaged on Ythe threaded shanks of the bolts 48 are thumb nuts 55 which are adapted to bear against the outer faces of the lugs 45. For the purposes o'f structural simplicity, the pintle is made to serve for the securing bolts 48 of both doors 26.

By reason of the looseness of the connections o'f' the doors 26 at the hingeVv pintles 31, it will be seen that said doors are free to adapt'themselves to the facings of the door openings in the casing I, with the result that when the thumb alignment with the sighttube 9, the boss 68 being externally threaded as at 62 and formed as an integralV continuation of a screw cap 63 which in this instance constitutes a removable portion of the top wall 4 ofv said casing and which provides the bore l5 for said tube, while the boss 6I' is internally threaded as at 64, A nipple 65 whereof the lower end has a circumferential flange 66 and is coned as at 61 to engage a correspondingly configured seat at the topv of the boss 60, is held in place by a nut 68 engaging the threads of said boss, the packing shown at 69 insuring water-tightness. The upper end of the nipple 65 is threadedly engaged at 'I0 in the bottom of a fitting 'II whereof the vertical bore 12 is in turn continuous with the tubular extension 55. and is closed at the top by a screw plug 13. The fitting 'II is supported by a bracket 'l5 bolted to the rear end of the locomotive boiler B in- Fig. 1 and formed with an upwardly inclined nipple V'II for connection of piping 1l which extends from the top of said boiler.

Interposed in a vertical branch 'I3 of the piping I1 is a valve 'I9 whereof the stem is connected, by a universal coupling 86, to an operating rod BI whereof the outer end is supported by a hanger 82 suspended from the top of the locomotive cab C. In turn screwed into the bottom boss 6I of the casing I is a nipple 85 for attachment of an angle valve 86 (Fig. 1)- from which horiontal piping 81 leads directly into the boiler B well below the normal water level L adjacent the surge co'unteracting baille indicated at S. A small drain pipe 88 leads downward from the angle valve 86 and is itself provided with a hand valve 89, which is normally kept closed while the valves 7S and V8Ii are normally kept open to allow the water to pass through the sight tubeV 9 of the gauge. An angle piece 99 secured to the rear 'e'nd of the boiler B has a notch 9| in its projecting edge which marks the low water level of the water in'theboiler and which is CII ' off to relieve the packings 20 and 2|.

used as a guide to set the gauge at the proper height when it is initially installed or when it is replaced after having been dismantled in the event that repairs are necessary.

Due to the above described unique construction of the gauge, it is possible to renew the sight tube 9 in case of breakage without disassembling the gauge or removing it from the boiler, by the following procedure:

The valves 'I9 and 86 are first closed to stop the steam and water flow through the gauge. With this accomplished, one of the doors 26 is opened for access to the packing gland nuts 22 and 23 within the casing, and said nuts backed If the tube 9 is shattered, the broken parts can be then removed directly from the interior of the casing. On the other hand, if the sight glass 9 should be merely split or fractured, it can be withdrawn upwardly through the nipple and the vertical bore 'I2 of the fitting 'II upon removal of the plug" I3 at the top of said bore. To install a new sight tube, the procedure is simply reversed, that is to say, the new tube is inserted from above through the verticalV bore 72. of the fitting 'II and drawn down into the casing I through the nipple 65 until its lower end rests on the seat I'I in' thebottom wall 5 of said casing. Finally, the gland nuts 22 and 23 are tightened. to compress the packings 20 and 2i, the door 264 closed and madeY secure, and the screw plug I3 inserted into the top of the iitting 'II-; whereupon the valves I9 and 86 are opened to let in the steam and water from the boiler. Upon failure of the sight tube 9, the water and/or the steam collecting in the casing I is led olf toa point beneath the locomotive cab C by Way of a conduit 92 which connects at 93 into the bottom of the offset 6 of said casing.

Having thus described'our invention, We claim:

1. In a water level gauge, a vertical sight tube; a surrounding protective casing triangular in cross-section and having a side opening, in a front wall, a door for said opening having a transparent panel, a hinge structure loosely connecting one edge of the door to the casing, with capacity for limited play to insure full seating of the door against the edges of the opening and incorporating means for drawing up the door after closing, and releasable means on the casing for similarly drawing up the swinging edge of the door after closing for assurance of steam tightness all around.

2. The invention according to claim l, in which the casing has vertically-aligned bores in its top and bottom walls to receive the ends of the sight tube, and a removable closure means at its upper end throughv which the tube can be withdrawn and replaced in the event of breakage.

3. The invention according to claim 1, in which the casing has vertically-aligned bores in its top and bottom walls to receive the ends of the sight tube, and a removable closure means at its upper end through which the tube can be withdrawn and replaced in the event of breakage; in which packings circumferentially seal the ends of the sight tube in the bores; and in which the packings are accessible from within the casing upon opening of the door for compressing and securing said packings.

, 4. The invention according to claim 1, in which the casing has an offset beyond its rear wall for the accommodation of a light bulb, and a. vertical slit in said rear wall in line with the sight tube 5. The invention according to claim l, in which the releasable securing means includes eye bolts which are respectively pivoted on the casing for capacity to be swung into notches in the swinging edge of the door, and clamp nuts which are in threaded engagement respectively with the protruding ends of the eye bolts to bear on the outer face of the door.

6. The invention according to claim 1, in which the hinge structure includes eye bolts which are pivotally supported respectively on the casing and which have their shanks passing loosely through apertures in the corresponding side edge of the door, and clamp nuts respectively in threaded engagement with the protruding ends of bolt Shanks to bear on the outer face of said door.

7. In a water level gauge for steam boilers and the like, a vertical sight tube; an enclosing protective casing having a side opening therein; a door for the side opening; hinge means for the door including a pintle supported at one side edge of the door opening, a lug at the contiguous edge of the door with a vertical aperture to loosely engage the pintle thereby to permit the door to bear fully against the edge margin of the door opening; and means for securing the door in fluid-tight relation with the casing including an eye bolt pivoted on the hinge pintle with its shank extending loosely through an aperture in said lug, a similar bolt pivotally supported in a like manner at the opposite side edge of the door opening for capacity to be swung into a notch in the swinging edge of the door, a clamp nut threadedly engaging the protruding end of the rst mentioned bolt to bear against the outer face of the door, and a clamp nut on the last mentioned bolt to bear against the outer face of said door.

HARRY A. HOKE. CLARENCE J. BARLEY. 

